Historism

historism as a philosophical and historiographical theory on historicity and awareness of the past
belief that events in history are entirely determined prior forces
Historism is a philosophical and historiographical theory, founded in 19th century Germany (as Historismus) and especially influential in 19th and 20th century Europe. In those times there was not a single natural, humanistic or philosophical science that would not reflect, in one way or another, the historical type of thought (cf. comparative historical linguistics etc.). Historism is not to be confused with historicism, nevertheless the English habits of using both words are very similar. (The term historism is sometimes reserved to identify the specific current called Historismus in the tradition of German philosophy and historiography.) and Johann Gustav Droysen, 20th century historian Friedrich Meinecke, and the philosopher Wilhelm Dilthey. Dilthey was influenced by Ranke. The jurists Friedrich Carl von Savigny and Karl Friedrich Eichhorn were strongly influenced by the ideas of historism and founded the German Historical School of Law. The Italian philosopher, anti fascist and historian Benedetto Croce and his British colleague Robin George Collingwood were important European exponents of historism in the late 19th and early 20th century. Collingwood was influenced by Dilthey. Ranke's arguments can be viewed as an antidote to the lawlike and quantitative approaches common in sociology and most other social sciences. The principle of historism has a universal methodological significance in Marxism.

20th century German historians promoting some aspects of historism are Ulrich Muhlack, Thomas Nipperdey and Jörn Rüsen. The Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset was influenced by historism.